IDW Starfleet Academy, Issue 4
|number = 4|writer = Mike Johnson Ryan Parrott |artist = Derek Charm |published = March 2016 |altcover = |caption = RI Cover by Robert Wilson |stardate = 2261.55 |date = 2258 2261}} Solicitation :Star Trek's all-new cast of cadets sets off on their first mission in space and headlong into a century-old mystery that could change the Academy forever. Meanwhile, Uhura risks her career in Starfleet with her only chance at redemption coming from a most unlikely place. Description ;PREVIOUSLY in STARFLEET ACADEMY : In the year 2258, Cadet Uhura's investigation into an unusual audio signal from a quarantined region of space has led her and Cadet Kirk to a secret mutiny responsible for the disappearance of the fabled ''U.S.S. Slayton, their discovery has caught the eye of Admiral Marcus and placed Uhura on the edge of Expulsion from Starfleet. Three years later, the Centennial Competition continues, Cadet K'Bentayr proved his moral constitution during a medical challenge. T'Laan is bested by the Vulcan delegation during a transporter exercise, causing her to lash out at her teamates and reveal her intention to leave Starfleet. Even with Professor Trumble's encouragement, our cadets are fractured as they depart Earth for the final leg of the competition.'' Summary Note: This story is told non-linearly. It is summarized chronologically here for ease of reading. 2258. Though Admiral is ready to expel , comes to her rescue, claiming she was acting on his orders, presenting security clearance from five days before her accessing the archive. Though skeptical, the Admiral releases Uhura, after one last warning to not mention anything she saw in the archives, before he has Spock sit down for a long and arduous discussion on security protocols. When the two reunite, Spock reveals that he had grown curious about Uhura's research, which he learned about from , and put in the security authorization. So technically, she was acting under his supervision. It seems as though Uhura's words have finally touched Spock. When one cares for another, they are forced to protect them in any way they can. With those almost romantic words, the two embrace. 2261. The Starfleet Academy teams finds themselves on Planetoid GP-575 with orders to scan and analyze the atmospheric composition. As Shev rants, Vel amuses himself by playing with an alien flower only for the "flower" to be revealed as part of a gigantic "space worm". The beast lunges at the cadets, its hide proving immune to the stun setting, only for Shev to distract long enough for everyone else to return to the shuttle and loop back to pick him up. Mid-flight, the cadets bemoan that they are now in last place. Presently, their flight path takes them close to Wagner-219, the computer warning them against entering on account of all the temporal anomalies. Grace Chen theorizes however that by slingshotting themselves around Wagner's star, the anomalies could quickly put them in first place. After convincing that such a plan is worth the risk (mainly to deny victory to the arrogant Vulcan team), the shuttle changes course for the forbidden system. Once the craft comes to edge of the anomaly's energy field, the effects are instantly noticeable, with the time/space shortcut looking to save them two hours before Grace notices that they're not going faster. Space is slowing down. At that, consoles begin to explode as the shuttle falls into the anomaly. As Vel works on healing Shev, the girls attempt to restart their ship only to pick up a transmission from a ship that should not exist anymore. The long missing Slayton. On the ruined bridge of the Slayton, tensions continue to mount before Yan picks up a transmission. At Hendricks's order, Lucia Gonzales appears on screen, offering assistance. Log entries ;Cadet's log, Stardate 2261.55 : The Centennial Competition scavenger hunt has brought us to Planetoid GP-575. Our task is to scan and analyze the atmospheric composition here. *;Cadet T'Laan's log, supplemental. : We have resumed our course on the "scavenger hunt" portion of the Competition. However... References Characters :Shev Akria • Grace Chen • Lucia Gonzales • Vel K'Bentayr • • • • • • Jack Somers • Yan • Bran Hendricks • Juliet Bashir Locations :Planetoid GP-575 • Wagner-219 Races and cultures :Andorian • Human • Monchezkin • Vulcan Other references :cadet's log • planetoid Appendices Images Covers IDW SA 4.jpg|Regular Cover by Derek Charm IDW SA 4B.jpg|Retailer Incentive Cover by David Malan IDW SA 4 sub.jpg|Subscription Cover by Robert Wilson IV Errors * In the second 2261 section, the year is erroneously listed as 2258. Connections Starfleet Academy (IDW series) | before = #3:Issue 3 | after = #5: Issue 5 }} * category:tOS comics